Cardio Versus Weight Training – Which one is better for fat loss?

Posted on 10 March 2009 by Zuzana - BodyRock.Tv

Aerobic training increases the body’s functional capacity to transport and use oxygen and to burn fatty acids during exercise. Aerobic exercise stimulates a series of metabolic responses in the body including: Increased mitochondria density in slow twitch muscle fiber, which results in higher energy production from fatty acids; increase in trained muscle capacity to utilize and mobilize fat, resulting from higher amounts of fat metabolizing enzymes, and increased blood flow; greater development of slow twitch muscle fibers, increased myoglobin content, which acts to store and transport oxygen in the muscles.Engaging in aerobic training can burn up to thousand calories an hour depending on the specific type and intensity of an aerobic activity. Unfortunately this information led many individuals to mistakenly believe that aerobic exercise is the only exercise you need to effectively control your weight. Aerobic training burns calories but does very little if anything to help you maintain your lean body mass during your weight reduction efforts. If you combine only cardio-based workouts together with calorically restricted diet you risk the chance of burning muscle, thus slowing down your capability to burn calories and fat over the long run. Engaging in resistance exercises such as weight lifting, will help you to increase your lean muscle mass, which in turns increases the amount of tissue in your body that naturally burns calories in a resting state. Simply put, bigger muscles burn more calories than little muscles. The best approach for proper fat loss is a balance of sensible nutrition, regular aerobic exercise, and effective weight training that challenges your body in order to affect your basal metabolic rate.

Best,

Zuzana.

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